The image of a woman in labour (Jeremiah 6:24) now changes to that of a woman mourning the death of her only son. The enemy has not struck yet, but already Jeremiah calls on the people of Judah to mourn the disaster that is coming. Total defeat is inevitable.1 The death of an only son was seen as a disaster in the ancient Near East and in Israel because it meant that the parents would be left without any descendants.2 Suddenly the destroyer will come upon us.
This is obviously a reference to the invading army, but there is enough ambiguity to also make it clear that the destroyer
is in fact the Lord himself.
26 O daughter of my people, put on sackcloth, and roll in ashes; make mourning as for an only son, most bitter lamentation, for suddenly the destroyer will come upon us.